Japan’s current assertions on Dokdo can be explained as threat to Korea’s sovereignty and a repetition of the imperialism that triggered World War II in the past.

Conclusively, Dokdo was a territory taken forcibly by Japanese imperialists in the past, and after World War II, it was returned to the Korean territories after several treaties were made. Therefore, it is clear that Dokdo is a part of Korea, not a region of territorial conflict between Japan and Korea. Currently, Japan identifies Dokdo as an area of territorial dispute and insists that Dokdo issue should be submitted to the International Court of Justice. However, the Korean government believes that Dokdo is not a region of territorial controversy and therefore not a matter to be brought to trial. The Korean government’s official position regarding Japan’s submission of the Dokdo matter to the International Court of Justice is as follows:

The proposal of the government is nothing but another false attempt disguised in the form of judicial procedures. Korea has the territorial rights ab initio over Dokdo and sees no reason why we should seek the verification of such writes before any international court. As the Japanese government is no doubt well aware, the aggression took place gradually, culminating in the annexation of all of Korea into Japan in 1910. For all practical purposes, however, Japan had seized power to control Korea in 1904 when Japan forced Korea to sign the so-called Korea-Japan protocol and the First Agreement between Korea and Japan. Dokdo was the first Korean territory which was made a victim of the Japanese aggression. Now, in view of the unreasonable and persistent claim of the Japanese Government over Dokdo, the people of Korea are seriously concerned that Japan might be repeating the same course of aggression. To Koreans, Dokdo is not merely a tiny island in the East Sea. It is the symbol of Korean sovereignty.”